The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-06-10

observing turn of mind and prone to p.-l.uso-
phize on what he saw. Then came a return
to Virginia and trip to the west and south,
and about this time the first published
sketches. The Hon. John P. Kennedy, of
Baltimore, who was then in his heyday as the
author of Horseshoe Robinson and other
then very popular works, was o warm friend,
but undertook to dissuade his cousin from
entering upon literary career. But the first
numbers of "The Virginian Canaan very
quickly settled the question of the young au-
thor's talent and by their popularity attested
that his pen and pencil had a charm that few
others possessed.
In but few years Porte Crayons name was
household word wherever Harper's Maga
zine went, and where was that not in those
days? He was their highest paid contributor,
and beloved from one end of the country to
the other for his charm and grace Thett
came the John Brown thunderbolt which fell
upon Harper's Ferry. Porte Crayon, living
near by, was on the ground within a few
hours, and then and for the weeks which fol-
lowed sketched the leading events and phloso
phized on the social problems which he was
then compelled to consider. Virginia and
tradition were at his back. Before his face
the question of whether all men had indeed
been created free and equal, or if not what all
that declaration by his forefathers meant.
The dilettante artist became changed man.
Life had assumed more serious phase i'll his
own home than he had yet been called upon
to consider either in Europe or America. His
mind was made up He beheld the approach
of the inevitable struggle. He was very near
the border, and he organized and equipped at
his own expense company OF his Virginia
townsmen, to whom he preached the doctrine
of the Union. But his efforts were useless,
and when the struggle actually came local
preiudices and state pride carried his carefully
drilled contingent into the Confederate ranks,
while their commander was obliged to hurry
off in the night to Washington. In the busy
days that followed he found himself on the
staff of Gen. Mcclellan, riding hard during
the day and sitting down on a battlefield
or in a deserted farm house at night to write
out in extenso the experiences of the day
many times seizing lull in the battle to
draw out his sketch book and put on paper
the narrowing scenes of the field. This was
work which no labor or fatigue or danger
ever caused him to neglect, and while his war
sketches remain among the most interesting
relics of that period, his diary, if given to the
public, would prove among the most valuable
contributions to the history of the war.
Upon Gen. McClellans departure for the
James he went with Pope, and later on ac-
companied Gen. Banks to New Orleans and
upon the i'll fated Red River expedition, re-
turning later to become chief of staff to his
cousin, Gen. David Hunter, in his campaign
up the valley. .***
After the war, declaring himself in search
only of quiet and peace, herepaired his ruined
home and sat down under the tranquil hills
and broad spreading trees of Berkeley, and
was visited from time to time by his compan
ions of the war, watching with interest the
problems of readjustmsnt. :. In 1877 President
Hayes offered him the consular generalship to
Mexico, and he found life at the Mexican
capital sufficiently pleasant to devote seven
years there. And finally he is back in his
beloved Virginia. The accompanying por-
trait sketch is made from photograph taken
only few weeks ago.
GEORGE FL. YENOWINE.